You are probaly looking at Plastisol Transfers.
Vinyl is solid colors (even though I think you can print on them for decals) that you use for sign making and decals (stickers). They make a vinyl transfer paper that allows you to print vinyl onto shirts, which is durable, gives a soft hand, and can maintain bright colors on dark garments like white.
Plastisol Transfers are transfers that have been screen printed onto. You usually buy these by the bulk and have them made for you, otherwise you'd just be screen printing directly onto the shirt. This method will give you the option of doing full color prints, but can be costly to buy up front. The transfers just transfer the plastisol ink to the garment, leaving a screen printed type t-shirt that is pressed instead.
If the vendor was doing full color prints or photo prints, it was most likely plastisol. If they were simple one color jobs, it might have been vinyl.
Vinyl is solid colors (even though I think you can print on them for decals) that you use for sign making and decals (stickers). They make a vinyl transfer paper that allows you to print vinyl onto shirts, which is durable, gives a soft hand, and can maintain bright colors on dark garments like white.
Plastisol Transfers are transfers that have been screen printed onto. You usually buy these by the bulk and have them made for you, otherwise you'd just be screen printing directly onto the shirt. This method will give you the option of doing full color prints, but can be costly to buy up front. The transfers just transfer the plastisol ink to the garment, leaving a screen printed type t-shirt that is pressed instead.
If the vendor was doing full color prints or photo prints, it was most likely plastisol. If they were simple one color jobs, it might have been vinyl.